Getting the right kind of ‘stuff’

“Stuff” stresses me out. I hate having a garage full of crap. There are so many things we keep around for the very few occasions we need them. Here’s a few annoying examples:

A huge amount of real estate in our garage is taken up by christmas decorations. We’re talking giant tree stand, ornaments, wrapping paper, lights. And get this: this year we’re not even putting up a tree because it’s a hazard with Ginger being so small and likely mobile at that time. But we have no organized place to stash this stuff… so it’s taking up space on the floor of our garage (which has never seen a car!).

I know for a fact that we hung on to a plastic Halloween pumpkin to collect candy from last year. I seem to remember it being in the way after the holiday last year, so we tucked it away somewhere. Guess what — can’t for the life of me find it! Now, I absolutely refuse to get another one of these. I don’t care how cheap they are. I will always look at it and be pissed because it’s more ‘stuff’ that we don’t need that is cluttering up our lives. Guess what Max, you’re going trick or treating with a whole foods bag and you’ll like it!

But you know, there’s another kind of ‘stuff’ that I love getting. When friends, family and neighbors share the bounty from their gardens. Some notable gifts this year: lemons, grapefruit, apples, figs, cucumbers (before our truck-load got ripe), eggs(!), spice mixes, kale, beef jerky, make your own cookie kits! Maybe it’s because these are all consumables which will go away and don’t represent a ‘permanent clutter.’ Maybe it’s because I know these things were picked or made with love. But I’d love it if our extended family this year agreed to make this holiday season a ‘do-it-yourself consumables’ year.